Thankful
by Tigris Lilium
Summary: In all honesty, what had she to be thankful for? Two adult children who forced down food in an attempt to hide their disgust and an even older adult with his face behind a perverted old novel? hinted: KakaSaku


Title: Thankful

Author: BluesyEyes

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, only the idea for this story.

Summary: In all honesty, what had she to be thankful for? Two adult children to force down food and an even older adult with his face behind a perverted old novel?

* * *

Honestly, she couldn't understand why she had to make the stupid dinner. She was just as busy as the rest of them. She had to work and cook a great big giant turkey, both at the same time. 

Tsunade had been supportive, claiming she needed to learn how to cook for a family one day in which Sakura had replied, "Family, what family? I'm destined to live a life of singleness and servitude at this rate."

But here she was anyway, stuffing bread and spices into the hole of a turkey. Sakura simply rolled her eyes, finished basting the turkey and stuck it in the oven.

She had no time for this. She had no time to peel the potatoes and make the dessert. She had absolutely no time. What made them expect that she was even remotely able to make the food?

Why were they celebrating this silly holiday anyway? Sasuke just said something about wanting the free food. Naruto replied something along the same lines and then told her to make some ramen. Kakashi didn't say much except good luck.

Sakura rolled her eyes. Lazy men and their idea that women needed to do everything.

In a few hours, dinner would be ready and they'd all better be thankful that she made it.

* * *

In a few hours, Sakura was sweating and she felt like her kitchen was a mess. The dessert that she had started last night was finished. The potatoes were successfully mashed and seasoned. The corn was cooked. The stuffing was prepped. The ham was sliced. And now all she needed to finish was carving the turkey. 

Sakura groaned as she held the knife in her hand, a large blade fitting for a large bird. "I could very well just end it now and not have to worry about them thinking my cooking sucks." She claimed dryly and then brought the knife down to the bird and proceeded to carve.

What had she to be thankful about anyway? The boys didn't treat her any special than how they do now – like a boy. Kakashi treated her like a regular student, even though she'd been a jounin for over three months now and he no longer taught her. There wasn't really any huge reason to be making this dinner.

But then she had to remind herself that it wasn't her that had offered.

She brought the knife down hard on the leg of the turkey, intent on getting it done early so she could wash up and look at least semi-presentable for dinner.

* * *

The door knocked and she jumped. She had fallen asleep and her stupid watch alarm didn't wake her up like it normally did. She sat up and quickly ran to the washroom to guage her appearance. She winced. Wow, she looked tired. 

She tucked her pink hair behind her ears and fixed her make up just barely. Fortunately, she had just enough time to make herself look decent, and by decent it meant putting on deodorant and some mascara and brushing her hair, and then enough time to take a twenty minute nap.

A twenty minute nap that, apparently, turned into forty five.

She grabbed the door and saw both Naruto and Sasuke, the former of the two grinning from ear to ear, "Hi, Sakura!" Naruto beamed and then bounced his way into the house. How Naruto gathered that much energy at his age was still beyond her. Sasuke just nodded his head curtly and walked past her, a twenty four in his hand.

"We brought some beer, just in case." Naruto said as he pointed to where Sasuke was to put the pack. Sasuke rolled his eyes and simply sat on the barstool near the bar counter of Sakura's kitchen.

"Where's Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, clearing her voice just afterward because she still sounded sleepy.

"Where else would he be?" Sasuke groaned, "He'll probably be late again."

Just then a knock came at the door, and Sakura jumped and looked at the boys, "Are we expecting any one else?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Great." Sakura remarked with a shake of her head and then went to the door. She opened it wide and found herself looking at her ex-sensei holding a bottle of wine. "You… you're… not _late_!" She exclaimed.

"Why would I be late for free food?" He shrugged and held out the bottle to her, "I brought wine, just in case."

_"… just in case." _What in heaven's name was that supposed to mean? She nodded her head, watched her sensei walk in and then closed the door.

"I didn't expect to be starting right away… I…" Sakura flushed when she realized that it was her turn to present the fated dinner. She promptly told everyone to relax in the living room while she set everything up.

* * *

Apparently, "just in case" meant, let's get drunk just in case Sakura's food sucks in order to like it better. With face buried in hands, Sakura picked at her stuffing. She honestly didn't think it was that bad. But the boys were downing their drinks so quickly that it made her doubt the authenticity of it all. 

Kakashi sipped his wine behind his _Icha Icha_ book. Naruto took sips between eating his potatoes. Sasuke took a long swig before swiftly chewing through the corn. Sakura simply turned the stem of the wine glass with numb fingers, barely touching the wine inside the glass.

Her dinner had gone to ruin. No one would be able to trust her to cook again.

When they were finished, they quickly asked for desserts. She grabbed the cherry cheesecake from the fridge, laid it out in front of them and told them to help themselves. After Naruto took a fork full, his eyes beginning to water and swallow, he proceeded to make "yummy" noises, he grabbed a plate and took nearly half of the pan.

Great. They were forcing themselves to eat her dessert out of pity for her.

How humiliating.

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke stumbled home on wobbly legs, the former trying to pick a fight with the cold hearted Uchiha. Sakura still hadn't touched any of her dessert that laid on her plate. 

In all honesty, what _had_ she to be thankful for? Two adult children who force food down their throat so she didn't feel embarrassed? A silent friend who sipped wine and hid his face behind a perverted old novel? In her opinion, this holiday really sucked.

"Hey," Her ex-sensei hadn't left yet, although he had finished his dessert long before. He took the last sip from his glass and let his eyes drift over to her, "You alright?" He had put his book down, opened to the page he was left on, but all his attention was now on her.

Sakura let out a shaky left and shook her head, "Am I alright? Sure… the people closest to me think my cooking sucks."

A long silent moment passed as she stared at the dessert on her plate, until she finally heard a chuckle fill the kitchen.

"You think they think your cooking sucks?" Kakashi scratched his head thoughtfully, "I would think otherwise."

"Why else would you guys be pumping back the alcohol?" Sakura rested her chin on her palm and shook her head.

"What else did you expect?"

"I… well, I expected some credit. I spent hours doing this dinner, and... nothing, you know?"

"Well," Kakashi took a deep breath and stood up, putting both of their wine glasses in the dishwasher, "I thought your food was fabulous. The wine just helps to relax. I brought it for the occasion and not to help swallow the food. Naruto and Sasuke, they're a little confused. They like the taste of beer. They hate their vegetables. Think about it, did you see them once take a sip while they were eating the turkey or the ham? You need to take a more perspective look on things rather than immediately jumping to conclusions."

Right. That made sense, didn't it? But then… why did Naruto's eyes water?

As if reading her mind, Kakashi said, "And the cheesecake? That's what made the night. If you're wondering why Naruto practically bent over and cried, it was because he loves food so much. So what, they expected worse. But what they got was phenomenal. You just need to expect it as it comes from each individual person."

Then what was she missing? Why did she still feel so unfulfilled?

"Eat your dessert." Kakashi chuckled, "I'd hate to see it go to waste."

With that, she finished it up quite quickly. She had thought it tasted good after all. She was just blind to the fact that the rest of them thought so too. When she placed the plate in the dish washer and turned to Kakashi, he was making his way to the door. "Unfinished wine is in the fridge, just in case you want it later."

"Thanks."

"And your meal was good."

"Thanks."

"And Sakura? Thank you for making it for us." Kakashi said, his hand coming up to touch her chin lightly. "You did good."

As the blush came to her cheeks and his gaze leveled on her lips, she felt her soul begin to speed up and her heart warm. He leaned down and kissed her cheek softly and then took another step away.

"You're welcome to make me dinner any day." He said, a low chuckle rolling off of him in waves. She simply smiled, nodded and waved him good bye. After he left and she closed the door, she instantly went to the fridge and poured herself a tall glass of wine and drank nearly half of it in one foul gulp.

_What_ was _that_?

And as the fears of the evening melted away and the new concerns for tomorrow seemed to take their hold, she felt herself a little more comforted in the fact that even though Sasuke and Naruto may never notice her worth, maybe her ex-sensei, her friend, Kakashi would.


End file.
